Demountable pluggable switch apparatus



Dec. 1, 1964 J. PARsToRl-ER 3,159,733

DEMOUNTABLE PLUGGABLE SWITCH APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

JOHN PARSTORF ER D l 1964 J. PARsToRFER 3,159,733

DEMOUNTABLE PLUGGABLE: SWITCH APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1960 INVENTOR. JOHN PARSTORFER AGENT Dec. 1, 1964 J. PARsToRr-ER DEMOUNTABLE FLUGGABLE SWITCH APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 15. 1960 INVENTOR. JOHN PARSIORFER //L fowl/7- AGENT United States Patent O 3,159,733 DEMOUNTABLE PLUGGABLE SWITCH APPARATUS John Parstorfer, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 13, 1960, Ser. No. 20,049 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-166) The present invention relates to electrical switch apparatus. More particularly it has to do with apparatus for programming input-outpt connections from one electrical switch circuit to another. With still more particularity, the present invention is directed to interchangeable switch program segments providing simple and efcient switching programs and to the method for producing such segments.

Various forms of program switch apparatus have been developed in the past for providing multiple electrical input-output connections for various uses, such for example, as in automatic telephone exchanges, electrical advertising signs, etc. Such apparatus many times comprises a rotatable drum or cylinder having mounted thereon conducting or commutating segments, and wipers or brushes associated with the respective commutating segments adapted to engage the same at predetermined points in the rotation of the cylinder about its axis of rotation. Generally the programs for these switches are fixed in character or, if the program is alterable at all, it is only changed with difficulty. Such switch apparatus is comparatively bulky in construction and if it is desired to provide a relatively large number of input-output interconnections, the device becomes too expensive and bulky for practical use. Additionally, when different switching combinations or different sequences of switching combinations are desired, extensive `time-consuming adjustments must often be effected, making the over all device one of a relatively low order of eiiciency.

It is an important object of the present invention, therefore, to provide switching apparatus which overcomes `the foregoing problems in a simple, economical and highly efficient manner.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide novel switch mechanism for program apparatus in which the electrical circuits thereof may be quickly and easily varied at will.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a demountable interchangable switch program segment making it possible to simply and etiiciently change programs Without disassembly of the whole electrical switch assembly.

In accordance with the foregoing objects and method and first briefly described, the invention comprises a demountable electrical switch program segment including a pair of parallel spaced apart dielectric members. Conductors on one member `are electrically interconnected in a desired circuit format to conductors on adjacent parallel members with portions of said conductors exposed on edged portions of each member in position for wiping contact with associated apparatus thus to effect closure of pre-programmed circuits.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with 3,159,733 Patented Dec. 1, 1964 ice additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of switch program apparatus including the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of switch segment members before assembly;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of switch segments after the backplane wiring is completed;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of one of the switch segment members showing printed circuit pads on one surface thereof;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the member shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the switch segment member of FIG. 5 with the conductive ribbon applied thereto as one step in the method of fabricating the member;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the member shown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are sectional views illustrating the steps of cutting and attaching the conducting ribbon to the printed wiring pads;

FIG. l1 is a plan view of a portion of one segment member illustrating a further ribbon attachment step; and

FIGS. 12 and 13 are detail views of a segment member showing the manner of welding the conductors to the pad prior to soldering.

Referring to FIG. l the switch apparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with rotary program switch apparatus of the type described and claimed in cepending United States patent application, Serial No. 27,405, tiled May 6, 1960, in the names of John Parstorfer and Alvin W. Gellert, entitled Switch Apparatus, now Patent Number 3,071,661 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The numbering system employed by the present application is substantially identical to that of the aforementioned application. Such apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical, hollow, barrel or drum-like member 10, detachably engageable with `and mounted for rotation upon, an upstanding cornpound pedestal-like supporting member 12, which is supported for rotation on a base or frame 14 of the aparatus. The drum 10 is adapted to be rotated intermittently in step-by-step fashion by means of a Geneva star or gear wheel 16 to which it is secured. The wheel 16 is rotatably mounted on the frame 14 and drivingly coupled through a control mechanism 18 and a gear train 20 to a drive motor 22.

A plurality of switch program segments 24 each constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention are demountably disposed in spoke-like radial arrangement around and recessed within the hollow interior of the drum 10, in a manner to be explained hereinafter. Adjacent to the periphery of the drum 10 is disposed a pivotally retractible brush contact carrier frame assembly Z6 including a plurality of banks 27 of brush contact members adapted to be engaged with and to be disengaged from the electrically conductive elements of the switch program segments 24, as will be explained herein presently. The brush contact members form the subject matter described and claimed in applicants copending United States patent application, Serial No. 29,643, filed May 17, 1960, entitled Switch Apparatus, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The assembled apparatus may be enclosed within a switch housing (not shown) secured in a conventional manner to the base or platform 14.

The drum member includes oppositely disposed annular disc-like members which together form upper and lower spaced apart drum heads 30 and 32 respectively, therefor. The upper head 30 is attached to a shallow, circular, inverted cup-shaped clamping cap member 34. Member 34 is provided with a peripheral ange 40. The annular head 30 is secured to the member 34, as by bolts (not shown) extending into and through flange 40 and into the inner periphery of the member 30.

The drum 10 includes inner and outer hollow cylindrical sleeve-like members 54 and 56 respectively, which are disposed in spaced apart concentric relation. Bolts 74 secure the drum head members 30 and 32 to their respective opposite ends of the sleeve 56. The lower drum head 32 is provided with an aperture 75, therein, intermediate the two members 54 and 56 for purposes to be explained hereinafter. As seen most clearly in FIG. 1 each of the members 30 and 32 is provided with a plurality of spoke-like radial notches or grooves 76-76 intermediate lands 77-77 respectively, disposed in confronting relation as shown, for purposes to be described hereinafter.

The star Wheel or gear 16, which in the present embodiment comprises a relatively thin, disc-like member, may be fabricated from any suitable rigid material such as Synthane-Nylon fibre, laminate, etc. The outer periphery of the gear 16 is provided with a plurality of radial notches or slots 112 alternating with arcuately shaped indentations 114 forming drum indexing means, for purposes to be explained hereinafter. In the embodiment herein illustrated, twenty-four notches and twenty-four indentations are employed. It should be apparent however, to those skilled in the art that other and varied combinations of indentations and notches could be used.

The upper surface 116 of the gear 16 is provided with milled or drilled clearance openings or depressions 118 therein concentric with attachment bolts, not shown, for the lower drum head 32. A drum position locating pin 119 is press-fitted or otherwise disposed in the wheel 16 adjacent the base of the pedestal 12 and is receivable in the hole 75 in the drum 10 thus orienting the drum on the drive means for reasons which will become more apparent as the description proceeds. A plurality of apertures 156 circularly disposed in the member 34 concentric with apertures 158 in the top of pedestal 12 permit bolts 160 to engage and secure the drum 10 to the pedestal 12 for in cremental or step-by-step rotation as will be described hereinafter.

The rotary program switch apparatus 10 is provided with twenty-four program sections 24 each of which in this illustrated embodiment includes ninety-six contact elements providing a total of two thousand three hundred and four contacts.

In accordance wth the method aspects of the present vention, and with reference to FIGS. 2 through 13 inclusive, the fabrication and assembly steps for the switch segment 24 will now be described. It is seen that each of the switch sectors or segments 24 includes a pair of dielectric members e.g., bars 251a and 251b which may be molded from liquid epoxy resin or machined from plastic stock in a known manner. If the casting technique is used, a copper sheet is bonded to an epoxy dielectric material at the time of casting. The epoxy thus forms an integral assembly with the copper sheet. A plurality of equally spaced notches 252-forty-eight in the present preferred embodimentare milled, molded or otherwise formed in the lower edge 254 of the bar. Another form of dielectric member which may be used with the present invention comprises a one-eighth inch thick copper clad phenolic sheet. In order to prevent undesirable warpage, the boards 251a and 251b may be fashioned from double sided copper clad dielectric laminate thus providing equal stress distribution. The excess copper on one side 256 is etched away leaving a pattern of equally spaced electrically conductive areas or pads 258 disposed thereon in rows and columns. The pads in each row are offset or displaced slightly with respect to the pads of the next adjacent row thereof. All of the copper on the opposite side 260 is gradually and evenly removed thus reducing the inherent stresses thereby preventing undue warpage. Thereafter each board 251 is drilled to provide an individual hole 262 in the upper left hand corner 264 of each of the conductive pads 258. The diagonally opposite corners 264 are angularly etched away for clearance purposes as will be more apparent hereinafter. In the present embodiment, forty-eight such holes fty-ve thousandths in diameter are provided. An electrically conductive contact forming ribbon 266, preferably of semi-precious metal, such as Molypermalloy, fifty-five thousandths inch wide and three thousandths inch thick is then continuously wrapped around each bar 251 in the manner now to be set forth.

As can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 1l, the rightward, progressive, upward row-by-row, displacement of the pads 258 in each member 251 permits each winding turn of the ribbon 266 to overlay a respective one of the holes 262. The ribbon 266 may be applied, by hand, in which case the starting end 268, FIG. 7 is suitably secured to the upper left hand corner of each board and thereafter the ribbon is wound spirally therearound. Each winding turn is received within a respective notch 252 and as the turns progress to the right, each turn will overly a group of pads 258 but only a single aperture 262, thus automatically spacing the ribbon turns by a distance approximately equivalent to the thickness of the barrier or ribs between notches 252.

The turns of ribbon are secured by means of a wedgeshaped electrically insulating bar 270 which is secured adjacent to and parallel with the notched portion of each board 251 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The wedge-shape permits the segments 24 to be itted together in radial spaced apart relationship around the periphery of the drum 10 in a manner and for purposes which will become more apparent as the description proceeds. Thereafter the winding turns of the ribbon materal are cut, as with a knife, along the edge 272 of the board permitting the unrestrained ends 274 of the loops of ribbon to spring back to the left, as seen in FIG. 9, under their own tension. Thereafter the ribbon ends 274 (forty-eight in this embodiment of the invention) are inserted into and through their respective apertures 262, FIG. 10, and cut to the same length as indicated by the dotted line 276, after which each is given a quarter turn, as seen most clearly in the detailed view, FIG. l2, whereby the ends are rigidified and thus made to be self-supporting. Each end 274 is then spot welded as at 278, FIG. 13, to its respective copper pad 258. After all forty-eight ribbons have been bonded in this manner to their respective terminal pads and as seen in FIG. 4, pairs of boards 251a and 251b, which are to form the input-output segments, are provided with interconnecting wires 280.

A central longitudinal spacer member 282 of dielectric material is disposed between the members 25111 and 251b and is received over oppositely disposed alignment studs 284, which project outwardly from member 251b and into and through member 251a. A relatively rigid attachment and auxiliary spacing member 286 of plastic or metal material is disposed at opposite ends of the member 251b. Each member 286 is provided with a relatively deep elongated groove or channel 288 therein, for purposes to be explained presently, and is secured to the member 251b as by bolts 290 which pass through concentric holes in each of the members 251g, 282 and 251b respectively. The members 251a and 25111 are assembled together compressing the wires 280 therebetween and thereafter nuts 292 are tightened over the bolts 290, forming the unitary switch segments 24.

Segments 24, FIG. l, are then slid into respective upper and lower grooves 76-76 in the drum periphery so that the ends 294, 294' of bars 270 ride over lands 77, 77' adjacent each groove. Bolts 296, received through the channel 288 and threaded into apertures 298 in upper and lower ends of the outer sleeve member 56, secure the segments to the drum and prevent their accidental dislodgement or detachment therefrom when the drum is rotated by means now to be described.

The switch apparatus is driven by a Geneva type escapcment mechanism, FIG. l, providing intermittent stepby-step rotation of the drum 10. The star drive Wheel 16 includes the earlier mentioned plurality of peripherally disposed notches and arcuate cutouts 112, 114 respectively therein, as earlier described. A multi-toothed drive wheel 300 having an upstanding discontinuous arcuate ridge or ange 310 is adapted to engage the arcuate portion 114 of the star wheel 16, during rotation of the latter, as will be described shortly. A drive pin 324 secured to the drive wheel 300 has one end projecting upwardly therefrom to be received in the slots 112 thereby to step the wheel lo as will be more clearly set forth hercinafter.

A control switch, not shown, disposed adjacent to the drive motor 22 includes an actuator arm 328 which extends arcuately away therefrom into the path of movement of the drive pin 32.4. The output shaft 334 of the motor 22 carries a pinion 336 rotatably coupled to the output drive gear 338 through a transfer idler gear, not shown. The output drive gear 338 is rotativcly coupled to the control member 18, eg., an electromagnetic clutch (not shown). The output shaft 340 of the clutch is connected by a flexible coupling 342 to drive a short shaft 34d carrying a pinion 346 on its lower end in operable engagement with the Geneva drive gear 300 for rotating the same in response to energization of the drive motor 22. The drive motor is adapted to be constantly energized from a source of electrical energy (not shown). Step-by-step rotation or" the drum 10 carrying the switch segments 24 is provided by means of the control mechanisni 18 in a manner fully set forth in the earlier mentioned copending patent application to John Parstorfer and Alvin W. Gellert.

What is claimed is:

l. An electrical switch segment for a rotary program switch comprising, a pair of rectangular, substantially flat, dielectric panel members, one edge portion of each of said panel members including a plurality of notches and projcctions tlierealong, a plurality of conductive areas forming connector pads disposed on one surface portion of each panel member in rows and columns, the conductive areas in one row and column being oset slightly from the conductive areas in the next adjacent row and column, each panel member also including rows and columns of apertures each aperture being disposed adjacent a corner portion of one oi said conductive areas, electrical conductors disposed in each of said notches with one end of each conductor passing from one side of said panel through a respective one of said apertures and secured to a respective one of said conductive areas, and the other end oi said conductor terminating on said one surface portion of the dielectric panel member spaced from said arcas, and an elongated dielectric member disposed between said panels in a manner securing said panels together in spaced apart parallel relation.

2. An electrical switch segment for a rotary program switch comprising, a pair of rectangular, substantially iiat, dielectric panel members, one edge portion of each of said panel members including a plurality of notches and projections therealong, a plurality of conductive areas forming connector pads disposed on one surface portion of each panel member in rows and columns, the conductive areas in one row and column being oiset slightly from the conductive areas in the next adjacent row and column, each panel member also including rows and columns of apertures, each aperture being disposed adjacent a corner portion of one of said conductive areas, electrical conductors disposed in each of said notches with one end of each conductor passing from one side of said panel through a respective one of :said apertures and secured to a respective one of said conductive areas, and the other end of said conductor terminating on said one surface portion of the dielectric panel member spaced from said areas, an elongated dielectric member disposed between said panels in a manner securing said panels together in parallel relation, and oppositely disposed rigid members arranged adjacent a respective opposite end of one of said panels and including a longitudinal attachment relief slot therethrough and having a securing member disposed through said panel and said rigid member and extending away therefrom for attachment through the other of said panel members for securing said panel members together as a unitary assembly.

3. An electrical switch segment for a rotary program switch comprising, a pair of rectangular, substantially at, dielectric panel members, one edge portion of each of said panel members including a plurality of notches and projections therealong, a plurality of conductive areas forming connector pads disposed on one surface portion of each panel member in rows and columns, the conductive areas in one row and column being offset slightly from the conductive areas in the next adjacent row and column, each panel member also including rows and columns of apertures, each aperture being disposed adjacent a corner portion of one of said conductive areas, electrical ribbon conductors of semi-precious metal disposed in each of said notches with one end of each conductor passing from one side of said panel through a respective one of said apertures and secured to a respective one of said conductive areas, and the other end of said conductor terminating on said one surface portion of the dielectric panel member spaced from said areas, an elongated wedge shaped dielectric member disposed between said panels with its apex adjacent the notched edge portions maintaining said panels in parallel spaced apart relation, and oppositely disposed rigid members arranged adjacent a respective opposite cnd of one of said panels and including a longitudinal attachment relief slot therethrough and having a securing member disposed through said panel and said rigid member and extending away therefrom for attachment through the other of said panel members for securing said panel members together as a unitary assembly.

4. An electrical switch segment for a rotary program switch comprising, a rectangular substantially fla-t dielectric panel member, one edge portion of said panel member including a plurality of notches and projections therealong, a plurality of conductive areas disposed on one surface portion of said panel member in rows and columns, discrete conductive areas in one row and column being offset slightly from the conductive areas in the next adjacent row and column, electrical conductors disposed in each of said notches with one end secured to respective ones of said conductive areas and the other end terminating on the said one surface portion of the dielectric panel member spaced from the said areas, and means securing said last named ends to said panel member in spaced apart parallel relation.

5. A construction according to claim 4 wherein said segment includes a plurality of such panel members secured together in spaced apart relationship with their notched edge portions adjacent each other.

6. An electrical switch segment for a rotary program switch comprising, a pair of rectangular substantially hat dielectric panel members, one edge portion of each of said panel members including a plurality of notches and projections therealong, a plurality of discrete electrically conductive pads disposed on a surface portion of each of said panel members in rows and columns, with the pads of each row angularly offset relative to the pads of each other row, and electrical conductors disposed in each of said notches with one end of each secured to a respective one of said conductive pads, and the other end of each terminating on the same surface portion of its respective panel member, means electrically interconnecting said other conductor ends of one panel with those of the other panel, and means interconnecting said pair of dielectric panels in parallel `spaced apart relation with the notched edges adjacent each other, thereby forming a unitary assembly with electrical conductors exposed along adjacently positioned edge portions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,438,959 Bartelheim et al. Apr. 6, 1948 2,546,001 Immel Mar. 20, 1951 2,750,478 Field June 12, 1956 2,824,358 Roach Feb. 25, 1958 2,961,584 Banik et al Nov. 22, 1960 

1. AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH SEGMENT FOR A ROTARY PROGRAM SWITCH COMPRISING, A PAIR OF RECTANGULAR, SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT. DIELECTRIC PANEL MEMBERS, ONE EDGE PORTION OF EACH OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF NOTCHES AND PROJECTIONS THEREALONG, A PLURALITY OF CONDUCTIVE AREAS FORMING CONNECTOR PADS DISPOSED ON ONE SURFACE PORTION OF EACH PANEL MEMBER IN ROWS AND COLUMNS, THE CONDUCTIVE AREAS IN ONE ROW AND COLUMN BEING OFFSET SLIGHTLY FROM THE CONDUCTIVE AREAS IN THE NEXT ADJACENT ROW AND COLUMN, EACH PANEL MEMBER ALSO INCLUDING ROWS AND COLUMNS OF APERTURES EACH APERTURE BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT A CORNER PORTION OF ONE OF SAID CONDUCTIVE AREAS, ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID NOTCHES WITH ONE END OF EACH CONDUCTOR PASSING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID PANEL THROUGH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID APERTURES AND SECURED TO A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CONDUCTIVE AREAS, AND THE OTHER END OF SAID CONDUCTOR TERMINATING ON SAID ONE SURFACE PORTION OF THE DIELECTRIC PANEL MEMBER SPACED FROM SAID AREAS, AND AN ELONGATED DIELECTRIC MEMBER DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PANELS IN A MANNER SECURING SAID PANELS TOGETHER IN SPACED APART PARALLEL RELATION. 